# Oujda

> city in Morocco

**Wikidata**: [Q193802](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193802)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oujda)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/oujda

## Summary
Oujda is a major city and urban commune located in Morocco, serving as the capital of both the Oriental region and the Oujda-Angad Prefecture. Situated at an elevation of 470 meters with coordinates 34.68°N 1.91°W, it is a significant demographic hub with a population of 506,224 as of the 2024 census. The city covers an area of 96.4 square kilometers and is administratively led by head of government Mohamed Azawi.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: City, large human settlement, and urban commune of Morocco.
- **Location**: Oriental region and Oujda-Angad Prefecture, Morocco.
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 34.686666666667, Longitude -1.9113888888889.
- **Area**: 96.4 square kilometres.
- **Elevation**: 470 metres above sea level.
- **Population (2024 Census)**: 506,224 (preferred value).
- **Households (2024 Census)**: 134,330.
- **Time Zone**: UTC±00:00 (also recorded as UTC+01:00).
- **Postal Code**: 60000.
- **Local Dialing Code**: 56.
- **UN/LOCODE**: MAOUD.
- **ISO 3166-2 Code**: MA-OUJ.
- **Head of Government**: Mohamed Azawi (term started 2021).
- **Official Language**: Arabic.
- **Website**: http://communeoujda.ma.

## FAQs
**What is the demographic history of Oujda?**
The city has experienced steady growth, recording a population of 260,082 in 1982, rising to 494,252 in 2014, and reaching 506,224 in the 2024 census. Estimates based on demographic balance suggest the population may be as high as 614,000 as of mid-2023.

**What administrative role does Oujda play in Morocco?**
Oujda serves as the capital of the Oriental region, a role it has held since 2015, and is the capital of the Oujda-Angad Prefecture. Historically, it was also the capital of the Oriental region from 1971 to 2015.

**What international relationships does Oujda maintain?**
The city is twinned with several international administrative bodies, including Lille (France), Oran (Algeria), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Aix-en-Provence (France), and Trowbridge (UK), among others.

**What are the native names and identifiers for Oujda?**
The city is natively known as "وجدة" in Arabic and "ⵡⵊⴷⴰ" in Tifinagh. It is identified by various library and database codes, including a VIAF ID of 140815574 and a Library of Congress Authority ID of n87851439.

## Why It Matters
Oujda holds significant administrative and demographic weight within Morocco as the capital of the Oriental region. Its governance structure, distinct geographical identifiers (such as its specific ISO and UN/LOCODE codes), and extensive network of twin cities highlight its role as a center of regional administration and international cooperation. The city's infrastructure includes the ownership of Honor Stadium and a dedicated online presence, serving a community of over 500,000 residents and more than 134,000 households.

## Notable For
- **Regional Capital**: Serving as the capital of the Oriental region since 2015 (and previously from 1971 to 2015).
- **Demographic Hub**: Hosting a population of over 500,000 people within a 96.4 km² area.
- **International Twinning**: Maintaining "sister city" relationships with nine different cities globally, including Lille, Oran, and Jeddah.
- **Cultural Identity**: Having native names in both Arabic ("وجدة") and Tifinagh ("ⵡⵊⴷⴰ").
- **Sports Infrastructure**: Being the owner of the Honor Stadium.

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Oujda is situated in the Oujda-Angad Prefecture within Morocco. Geographically, it is positioned at 34.686666666667 latitude and -1.9113888888889 longitude, resting at an elevation of 470 metres above sea level. The city covers a total area of 96.4 square kilometres.

Administratively, Oujda functions as an urban commune of Morocco. It serves as the capital of the Oujda-Angad Prefecture and the Oriental region. Its tenure as capital of the Oriental region began in 2015, though it previously held this status from 1971 to 2015. The city's ISO 3166-2 code is MA-OUJ, and its UN/LOCODE is MAOUD. The Moroccan geographic code (2015) for the city is 02.411.01.23.

### Governance and Politics
The current head of government for Oujda is Mohamed Azawi, who assumed office in 2021. The city's official website is http://communeoujda.ma, which provides information in Arabic. The city government also owns the Honor Stadium. Oujda maintains twinned administrative body relationships with several cities:
- Lille
- Oran
- Reggio Emilia
- Aix-en-Provence
- Sevran
- Sirte
- Trowbridge
- Jouy-le-Moutier
- Jeddah

### Demographics
Oujda has a recorded population history through various census and demographic balance methods:
- **1982-09-03**: 260,082 (Census)
- **1994**: 357,278 (Census)
- **2004**: 400,738 (Census)
- **2014**: 494,252 (Census)
- **2019**: 558,000 (Demographic balance)
- **2023-07-01**: 614,000 (Demographic balance)
- **2024**: 506,224 (Census, Preferred Value)

The number of households has also grown:
- **1994**: 65,497 households
- **2004**: 82,128 households
- **2014**: 113,020 households
- **2024**: 134,330 households

### Identity and Names
The city is officially named "وجدة" (preferred) and "Oujda". In the Berber Tifinagh script, it is written as "ⵡⵊⴷⴰ". It has several aliases and historical names, including Ujda, Oûjda, Uxda, Oujdi, Mir ali, Dhar Lamhalla, and ウジュダ (Japanese). The official language is Arabic.

The city is referenced in numerous knowledge bases and library systems:
- **GND ID**: 4352559-3
- **FAST ID**: 1248808
- **VIAF ID**: 140815574
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n87851439
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007560140005171
- **GeoNames ID**: 2540483
- **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID**: place/Oujda
- **Quora Topic**: Oujda-Morocco-1

### Media and Visuals
Visual documentation of the city includes a coat of arms, a page banner, and a montage image. Specific images cited include "A general view of the side of the Boulevard Mohammed V in Oujda" and "Bab Sidi Aissa Oujda." The Wikipedia topic's main category is "Category:Oujda," and it is maintained by WikiProject Morocco and WikiProject Cities. The city has sitelinks in 73 different languages, including English, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Russian.

### Technical Specifications
- **Timezone**: UTC±00:00 (also cited as UTC+01:00).
- **Postal Code**: 60000.
- **Local Dialing Code**: 56.
- **OpenStreetMap Relation ID**: 2527998.
- **FactGrid Item ID**: Ernst Mally (associated).
- **MusicBrainz Area ID**: 34fee67f-d327-4261-b473-79421585be06.

## References

1. [Source](https://communeoujda.ma/ar/%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3)
2. 2014 Moroccan census
3. [Source](https://www.trowbridge.gov.uk/discover-trowbridge/)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. [Source](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:code:3166:MA)
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. Czech National Authority Database
8. MusicBrainz
9. [Source](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/morocco/oriental/oujda_angad/41101230__oujda/)
10. [Source](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/morocco/cities/?cityid=1359)
11. [2024 Moroccan census](https://www.hcp.ma/Population-legale-du-Royaume-du-Maroc-repartie-par-regions-provinces-et-prefectures-et-communes-selon-les-resultats-du_a3974.html)
12. [Source](http://www.hcp.ma/file/103036/)
13. [Source](http://rgph2014.hcp.ma/file/166326/)
14. GeoNames
15. BBC Things
16. [Source](https://www.hcp.ma/Population-legale-du-Royaume-du-Maroc-repartie-par-regions-provinces-et-prefectures-et-communes-selon-les-resultats-du_a3974.html)